Combined ironing-board and bench.



N0. 666,332. Patented Jan. 22, I90l.

R. STAHL'.

COMBINED IBONING BOARD AND BENCH.

(Application filed Apr. 14, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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lUNrrnn States ATEN FFICE.

REUBEN STAI-IL, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

COMBINED IRONING-BOARD AND BENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,332, dated January 22, 1901.

a flnation filed April 14, 1900. Serial No. 12,884. (No model.)

To all whom it 77I/Cby concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN STAHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort \Vayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Oombined Ironing-Board and Bench, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to laundry-benches, and has forits object to produce a bench which can be utilized for the support of the ordinary tubs and wringer for washing purposes and also for the support of an ironing-board 5 and it consists in the improved construction and novel combinations of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved laundry-bench ready for use as a support for the tubs and wringer. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bench shown as supporting an ironing-board.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of my bench,which may be of any suitable size and proportions and is supported at its opposite ends by means of two folding legs 2 2. These legs are preferably pivotally secured to the ends upon the outside of the frame by means of transverse rods or bars 3 3 and are connected at their lower ends by means of cross-rods 4, which will bear against the under surface of the frame when the legs are folded. Secured to the legs, near their upper ends and upon the outside, so as to bear against the bottom side of the frame when the legs are extended, are two cross-pieces 5 5, and the legs are held in their extended position by means of suitablyarranged meansas, for instance, a hook and staple 6secured, respectively, to the central portion of the cross-pieces 5 and the ends of the frame.

Pivotally secured to the frame, so as to be extended vertically therefrom, are two frames 7 and 8, one of which, 7, is pivotally secured at its lower end upon the rod 3 and has its upper end formed by two cross-bars 9 and 10 at a slight distance apart, the upper one of which is provided with a cap of sheet metal 11, upon which the iron is supported during the operation of ironing. The lower end of said frame bears against the cross-piece 12 upon the bottom of the frame 1 and is supported vertically in one direction thereby. The other frame 8 has its lower end provided with slots 13, by means of which it is pivotally secured upon a rod 14 across the central portion of the frame 1 and has its upper end substantially level with the lower cross-bar 9 of the frame 7 when standing in its vertical position. The lower end of the frame is adapted to project between two cross-bars 15, secured to the under side of the frame 1, and be rigidly held in its vertical position. The slots 13 are of such a length that when it is desired to fold the frame 8 within the frame 1 it can be raised vertically until its lower end is above the two cross-bars, when it can be turned in either direction, preferably toward the end, away from the frame 7. Two other cross-bars 16 17 are secured to the under side of the frame in position for supporting the upper ends of the frames 7 8, respectively, when they are folded down between the side pieces of the frame 1.

When it is desired to use the bench for washing purposes, the legs are extended until the cross-pieces engage with the under surface of the frame 1 and are secured in that position by means of the hook and staple 6. The central frame 8 is raised into its vertical position and secured therein bypassing its lower ends down between the cross-bars l5, and the other frame is left in its horizontal position. The wringer is then secured to the top cross-piece of the vertical frame, which is preferably arranged vertically for the reception of the clamps of the wringer, and the tubs are placed upon the bench on opposite sides of the vertical frame, when the clothes can be washed in one tub and passed through the wringer into the tub upon the opposite side of the frame.

When it is desired to use the bench for ironing purposes, both frames are raised into their vertical position, and the ironing-board 18 is inserted between the cross-bars 9 10 at one end and rests loosely with its intermediate portion upon the top of the other frame. The clothes can then be spread upon the board and ironed in the ordinary manner,

the heated iron being supported upon the metal cap of the frame '7when not being used upon the clothes.

As above described, it will be seen that I have produced a bench which can be formed without projections when desired for the support of any household article and which can be readily converted into a washbench or an ironing-stand, or it can be as quickly and easily folded into a compact space, occupying but little more room than the vertical thickness and the rectangular area of the frame to which the legs and auxiliary frames are pivoted.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a laundry-bench, the combination, with a main frame, of a rod at each end thereof, legs pivotally secured on said rods at the outside of the frame, two auxiliary frames pivotally secured to the main frame, one of said auxiliary frames being pivotally secured upon the rod at one end of the frame, and

having its upper end slotted horizontally and provided with a metallic cap, a stop on the bottom of the main frame at the bottom of said auxiliary frame, and means for holding the other auxiliary frame in a vertical position at the central portion of the main frame, substantially as described.

2. In a laundry-bench, the combination, with a frame provided with folding legs at each end thereof, and two auxiliary frames pivotally secured to the main frame, the upper end of one of said frames being provided with means for holding an ironing-board and the lower end of the other frame being slotted longitudinally and having its upper crosspiece arranged vertically,and two cross-pieces on the bottom of the main frame in position to engage with the opposite sides of the lower end of said auxiliary frame when in its vertical position, substantially as described.

REUBEN STAI-IL.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. W. BRUNS, .HENRY W. FELGER. 

